He's back. On social media, on the roads of Oltrepò Pavese, in the right size pants. And above all on a bike. Eugenio Berzin, the blond kid who surprised everyone by winning the 1994 Giro d'Italia, had somewhat fallen off the radar.

«It's true, for 6-7 years I barely got on a bicycle. I had gained a lot of weight, I wasn't disciplined or careful at the table, I didn't take care of myself. It was laziness, definitely. Then something happened—a dear friend of mine, my age (56 years old), passed away, and I got scared. A heart attack, it happened to him but it could have been me. And so 5-6 months ago I picked up my bike and my life again. Like this morning: I wake up at 6, ride for a couple of hours and then I can start my work day. When there are 30 or 40 of us it's really fun, we form a big group and help each other».

That life that unfolds always around Broni, selling cars, an adopted Italian who now speaks the language fluently.

«Back at the time of the Giro I knew very few words, I got by with English. Around here I only heard dialect and Emanuele Bombini was patient with me and Bobrik».

That Giro was your showcase, with an unforgettable podium with Indurain and Pantani. You have it in your heart and in your WhatsApp profile picture.

«It's a beautiful photo from those days with Pantani about to attack, me in difficulty. And with us also De Las Cuevas (who died by suicide in 2018). I like to remember them, they're no longer here and every now and then I tell myself it would have been nice to go out together, today like back then».

On the Mortirolo maybe.

«I was there recently and—something really nice that made me happy—someone under the photo I posted on Instagram wrote Welcome home. I got emotional! It happens every now and then to ride with Chiappucci. He's really someone who trains seriously, a few months ago he came to my place, terrible weather, and wanted to go for a ride. I told him Are you crazy! Then I also see Bugno».

These are the final days of the Tour de France, what memories do you have of your days in yellow in '96?

Well, I have the jerseys (two, like the days as leader) and the lions, the coveted mascot. I remember days of bad weather, a stage win in the Val d'Isère time trial climb and a 20th place finish. I was wearing the Gewiss team jersey, a company that was more interested in the Giro than the Tour. The sprinter Minali was there to try to win some stages. When I took the jersey, the team wasn't able to support me and on my own I collapsed».

You retired early, you were 31 years old. Do you have any regrets?

«I was scared after the crash in '97, broken collarbone. The terror of falling again and hurting myself badly stayed with me. It was the right decision. I've lived my life, staying in Italy and without losing my passion for cycling. With some periods of distance, it's true, after all as Merckx once said: "cycling is love and hate". And now love has returned. Eugenio is back on his bike, determined not to stray away again. For his health, for the joy of suffering on the Pavese hills and to tie back together that thread that risked being lost.»